Melt compounded nanocomposites with semi‐interpenetrated network structure based on natural rubber,polyethylene, and carrot nanofibers |
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| Authors: | Md Minhaz‐Ul Haque Natalia Herrera Shiyu Geng Kristiina Oksman |
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| Affiliation: | 1. Division of Materials Science, Lule? University of Technology, Lule?, SE 97187, Sweden;2. Fibre and Particle Engineering, University of Oulu, Oulu, FI 90014, Finland |
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| Abstract: | The present study deals with the processing and characterization of cellulose nanocomposites natural rubber (NR), low‐density polyethylene (LDPE) reinforced with carrot nanofibers (CNF) with the semi‐interpenetrated network (S‐IPN) structure. The nanocomposites were compounded using a co‐rotating twin‐screw extruder where a master‐batch of NR and CNF was fed to the LDPE melt, and the NR phase was crosslinked with dicumyl peroxide. The prepared S‐IPN nanocomposites exhibited a significant improvement in tensile modulus and yield strength with 5 wt % CNF content. These improvements are due to a better phase dispersion in the S‐IPN nanocomposites compared with the normal blend materials, as demonstrated by optical microscopy, electron microscopy and ultraviolet–visible spectroscopy. The S‐IPN nanocomposite also displayed an improved crystallinity and higher thermal resistance compared with NR, CNF, and the normal blend materials. © 2017 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2018 , 135, 45961. |
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| Keywords: | cellulose and other wood products crosslinking extrusion rubber |
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